Tremendously detailed and thorough account of premodern weapons of war-from the prehistoric Bronze and Iron Ages and the breakup of the Roman Empire, to the Viking era and the Age of Chivalry. Profusely illustrated with a host of armor and weapons: daggers, longbows, crossbows, helmets, swords, shields, spears and more.

Do you know why the circular stairs in castles ascended clockwise? Have you ever wondered where the toilets were, or how they worked? Do you know what the best way to attack a castle was? Can you guess why hundreds of pigs would be slaughtered in order to conquer a castle? Ewart Oakeshott knows, and you will too when you finish this book. He is the foremost authority on Medieval weaponry, and in this book he provides a lively and informative history of Europe's castles. Superbly illustrated by the author, he traces the design, building, and defense of castles throughout the Middle Ages, and explores the castle armory, daily life, the training of boys to become knights (including their lessons in both the arts of warfare and courtly behavior), sieges, and favorite pastimes such as hunting and hawking. "This delightful little work does admirably what it sets out to do..So well done that it deserves a place in the library purely as an elementary work of reference." - School Librarian